How can mindfulness improve acting?

As an actor it is essential to stay mindful and present as it helps reduce stress and anxiety both on screen and in your daily life. With benefits ranging from emotional intelligence to building resilience in a notoriously difficult industry, we have some proven tips to help you stay mindful in your journey as an actor.  

Acting demands presence, emotional depth and resilience, as an actor, you must bring your whole self into performances, balancing the pressure with being fully present and aware. Mindfulness is a powerful tool you as an actor can use to aid your mental health and emotional well-being.

‘Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.’
-Jon Kabat-Zinn

On set, mindfulness will allow you to remain versatile and composed with the pressure and chaos of a film set, whether you have had last minute scene and script changes or you need to stay focused during long days and takes, mindfulness will allow you to remain grounded. 
Off set mindfulness will promote self care, emotional balance and confidence ensuring you can pursue your passion of acting without the pressures or burning out. 

Here are some practical mindfulness exercises tailored for actors:

• Breathing Exercises: Practising deep breathing before auditions or scenes will help nerves and centering yourself, this crucial step will reduce performance anxiety and help you feel more connected in the present moment, allowing a natural performance.
• Body Scanning: Taking a few minutes to notice areas of tension in your body will allow you to release them, promoting relaxation and physical awareness. A step a lot of seasoned actors will do as this allows them to become aware of their physical state to portray characters authentically 
• Visualisation: Allow your mind to succeed and imagine performing the role successfully and focus in on the emotions and energy you want to bring to the role, allow yourself to build the confidence needed and prepare your mind in embodying the role fully.
• Mindful Observation: Spending some time observing props, costumes and your setting in detail will improve your focus and attention to the nuances in the scene, this small but vital part will allow for genuine reactions and add authenticity to your performance. 
• Gratitude Practice: Reflect upon what you are grateful for and how far you have come to help shift your mindset from stress to positivity before performances, doing so will allow you to remove any negative feelings, improving your creativity and presence.

These tips will not only enhance your performances, but also nurture the well-being of the person behind the role (you)! By cultivating your presence, emotional intelligence and resilience, you will improve your craft and find balance in your personal and professional life.
Thriving on staying present, Acting goes hand in hand with mindfulness. Helping you focus on your scene partner, setting and dialog without the pressures of internal thoughts. When you are present, your performance will feel more authentic and natural, following from this, mindfulness will also help process your emotions both on and off screen. With great emotional intelligence comes exceptional understanding of the character you are portraying, allowing for deep and meaningful performances that connect with an audience. Emotional intelligence will also aid you in auditions and on set anxiety, controlling your emotions, breathing and grounding exercises will set you up to perform with confidence and power, maintaining a sharp focus and creativity, all of which will help you stand out as an actor.
It is no secret the world of acting is full of rejection, criticism, high expectations and enormous pressure. Practising mindfulness will help you understand self compassion, resilience and being kind to you and others without losing confidence or passion for your craft.

But how can I incorporate mindfulness into my daily routine? 

Consider these daily practises;

• Start your day with a few minutes of meditation to set a calm and relaxing tone, this can be done with reflection, reading or some time outside. 
• Ground yourself with breathing or exercises such as body scanning or 5 senses before stepping into any role of performance. 
• Reflect on performances, without judgement, and focus on what you have done well and what you could improve
• Focus on the present moment and become aware of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgement with mindful yoga.

These daily practices will prevent burnouts, maintain balance and allow you to grow and stay open to new challenges and opportunities. Additionally, mindfulness builds stronger connections with scene partners by improving your ability to listen and engage spontaneously. Over time, these practices refine your ability to absorb feedback, identify areas for growth, and approach challenges with calm and resilience.
Though as an actor you may always be looking to improve your acting skills, mindfulness is essential in taking care of your mental, emotional and physical well-being. Through this you can remain present, emotionally available and creatively inspired, while navigating the pressures of this industry with confidence and a thick skin.
So whether you're preparing for an audition, stepping into a new role, or reflecting after a performance, mindfulness can guide you toward a more fulfilling and connected acting journey.

---

Author

Abbygail Morrison